Finally, an Answer: Lane Kiffin Departs Ole Miss for LSU After Transformative Six-Year Run

OXFORD, Miss. — There are moments in college football that stop you in your tracks — moments when the game you love reminds you it’s a business first, and loyalty can feel like a casualty. This is one of those times for Ole Miss fans. In a move that seems to have been a slow train coming for weeks now, Lane Kiffin has officially accepted the head coaching position at LSU and will depart Ole Miss after six seasons at the helm in Oxford.

Kiffin tweeted the following Sunday afternoon:

pic.twitter.com/N2DWuu1NaM

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 30, 2025

Ole Miss made every effort to retain Kiffin, and sources within the program confirm the university was prepared to match or exceed competing offers in salary, staff pool, and infrastructure. As all Rebels know, this move has been one potentially on the table since Brian Kelly was fired by the Tigers. Conversations, evaluations, and negotiations have been taking place for weeks, both between Kiffin and LSU as well as between Ole Miss and potential candidates.

Ultimately, Kiffin made a personal decision about his future. And, ultimately, Ole Miss made one about theirs, as well.

His departure marks the end of one of the most successful, stabilizing, and culturally defining eras in the history of Rebel football.

Kiffin leaves Oxford with a 55–19 record, the second-highest winning percentage of any Ole Miss coach, and more importantly, having rebuilt the program into a consistent national presence. Under his leadership, Ole Miss produced:

• Three straight 10-win seasons — a first in school history
• Four total 10-win seasons, tying Johnny Vaught for the most all-time
• The program’s first New Year’s Six bowl victory (defeating Penn State in Peach Bowl in 2023)
• A 35–3 home record since 2021, establishing Vaught-Hemingway as one of the toughest venues in college football
• Multiple top-10 finishes and sustained national relevance

Kiffin’s teams produced high-powered offenses, NFL quarterbacks, elite transfer classes, and some of the most iconic moments Rebel fans have experienced in decades. But the numbers, impressive as they are, tell only part of the story.

When Kiffin arrived in Oxford in December 2019, he inherited a roster lacking depth, a program light on momentum, and a fan base hungry for direction. He departs leaving Ole Miss with:

• A strengthened roster built through elite transfer classes and improved high school recruiting
• A modernized, competitive program that is expected—not hoping—to win 9-10 games annually
• A transformed culture built on energy, creativity, player empowerment, and belief
• A national brand that commands attention every single week

The Grove Collective now boasts thousands of donors and ranks among the most effective NIL organizations in the country. The program’s infrastructure—on and off the field—is unquestionably stronger because of Kiffin’s time in Oxford.

There is No Panic Inside the Building

Kiffin built something sustainable—and he helped Ole Miss believe bigger. That belief does not leave with him. The culture remains strong. The Grove Collective remains powerful, active, and prepared. The national perception of Ole Miss football is higher than it has been in half a century. And because of that, Ole Miss remains—today—a top-tier job.

Keith Carter’s next task was to hire someone who can build on that foundation, not restart the climb — and defensive coordinator Pete Golding is that man. Golding has widely been reported to be not only the interim, but the permanent head coach.

Lane Kiffin leaves Oxford with the most stable, modern, respected version of Ole Miss football in decades. He leaves behind winning seasons, unforgettable players, and a program positioned for success long after his office is cleared out.

And now, Ole Miss turns the page—with the strongest foundation it has had in the modern era.